1. Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of construction of buildings for living and business purposes. More particularly, it concerns a process by which such buildings can be designed by persons unskilled in the use of architectural design procedures.
Still more particularly, this invention involves apparatus and method for designing a structure by utilizing precise scale model building elements, and assembling the model elements on a scaled construction surface, until the structure includes all necessary design features and all building elements that will be utilized in the final structure. The list of model elements in the model assembly provides a bill of materials or mill order, for the construction of that structure. Photographs of the model can serve as building assembly instructions, utilizing full scale elements manufactured to the specification of the model elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, buildings such as homes and officer have always been designed by means of pencil drawings on paper. In most cases these designs have been made by professional artists or architects who understand the types of projection or views of three-dimensional structures, that are shown on two-dimensional displays.
Unfortunately, most home buyers are unskilled in the use of two-dimensioned displays of three-dimensional objects, and find it difficult to visualize a three-dimensional object when described in two-dimensional views. Thus, it is almost impossible for a prospective home buyer or builder to design his own home without the help of a professional artist or architect, who can take verbal instructions, and place them on paper in the form of two-dimensional displays. Even so, the prospective buyer is often unable to fully benefit from the displays unless he can visualize the three-dimensional nature of the final design.
In the use of new types of building materials, such as cylindrical logs, for example, for the construction of homes and buildings, it is even more difficult for an unskilled person to visualize the appearance of a finished building which utilizes logs rather than board lumber.